Jaqueline Hurtado, a CNN en Español correspondent, was also on the terrace of the Address.

She recalls hearing some screams and people running, and within moments was among those being evacuated by hotel staff.

'We cannot be where we are'

Hurtado also saw debris falling from the hotel.

The fire's quick growth also caught those on the surrounding streets by surprise.

Some 200 feet (61 meters) away from the hotel, Josh Gatlin was standing -- as were hundreds of thousands of others -- and waiting for the Dubai fireworks.

Photos:Dubai hotel fire

Photos:Dubai hotel fire

Firefighters continue to work at the Address hotel in downtown Dubai on Friday, January 1. A massive fire broke out Thursday night at the high-end hotel in the United Arab Emirates' most populous city.

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Photos:Dubai hotel fire

Fireworks light up the night sky near the Address hotel. Despite the fire that started hours earlier, the highly anticipated New Year's Eve festivities went ahead as planned.

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Photos:Dubai hotel fire

More than a dozen people sustained minor injuries, according to the Twitter account of the Dubai government's media office.

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People watch as flames rip through the hotel Thursday night.

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The incident occurred near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper.

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The fire started around 9:30 p.m., witnesses said.

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People were gathering to watch New Year's Eve celebrations when the hotel caught on fire.

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Early reports said the fire started on the 20th floor.

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It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

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The fire broke out as governments around the world were on high alert for possible terrorist attacks tied to New Year's Eve celebrations, but there was no immediate indication that terrorism was to blame for the blaze.

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The Address hotel describes itself as "the premier five-star hotel" in Dubai.

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"Actually, the only reason I turned around was because I felt the heat on my back," he told CNN.

He made the decision to move away pretty quickly.

"Within 10 seconds it went from, 'Wow, that's a fire' to 'We cannot be where we are and we need to be moving away from that,' " he said.